Any of your neighbours made a dash for it?

[jillypill]

As a Londoner I enjoy the peace that Christmas brings to my local area (SW), the ability to park outside your house, etc!
I thought it would be different this year but clearly not, hardly any cars parked & at least 6 of my neighbours have gone (no privacy in terraces with extensions etc).
Just my area?

Tier 4. One of our neighbours didn’t come back from their second home in Devon after the first lock down and now rent the house in our street.

@Mistymonday, sorry to hear that. Life can be hard sometimes.

East London, no noticeable changes on our street. The only person I know who has left is my friend's father in his 80s who got a lift to her on Saturday afternoon before the official announcement but when everyone kind of knew what was coming, assume he'll stay there over Xmas and New Year then come back but if he stays with her longer I really don't blame him.

I'm in Herts and my neighbours, retired couple, packed and jumped in the car within two hours of the announcement. They were quite open about it. Destination Harrogate to relatives. Twats!

We're in Northumberland and I saw a family passing with suitcases yesterday down our quiet country lane - we've been in a local lockdown since September and we're in tier 3 at the moment but I can see us going to tier 4. We've not been allowed any overnight stays since we went into the local lockdown mid September.

Oh Misty that is so sad, how devastating for you.

I do wonder how many who have gone away to 2nd homes aren't exactly "cooped up" in the ones they have left?

I can see the thinking behind wanting to be able to get out & about in some fresh air-especially if you have shopping delivered & are keeping to yourself, it's just the "what if" scenarios.

@jillypill yeah it’s a 3 hour drive so I’m staying put.

Our neighbours (2nd home owners) left Tier 4 to stay with family in Tier 3 (the north) then coming down and staying in our Tier 2 next week.

Here in Cotswold District we’ve had a sudden massive spike which is puzzling the public health bods - cases have tripled in the past few days from a very very low base. It’s not puzzling me. Town is suddenly ramped with people, having been very quiet previously, and they’re all massing into the ‘lovely things’ shops. It’s very obvious how many of the bastards have decided we were missing out on the variant and are keen we should get a slice of the action.

@jillypill don’t worry about judging. I feel bad being here but my mum is a widow so no dad and she’s young and healthy. and me and my sister are single and it’s not like we can go anywhere so we’re pretty much isolating in the House.

They are saying more areas may go into Tier 4 which seems a bit silly on the 22/12

@Mistymonday I'm so sorry. Miscarrying is so awful, I feel for you. But you haven't broken any of the rules. Try to get some rest and recuperate x

I'm also in SW London OP. Lots of my neighbours have gone down to their second homes in Cornwall, Devon and Norfolk.
We don't have a 2nd home in the UK or I have to say, preparing to get flames, I'd be hightailing it out too.

I live in London and if I’m going to catch covid at some stage I want it to be here where emergency services can reach me quickly and we have hospital beds! In the worst case scenario that is. So I don’t really understand people “escaping” to places that are more remote. Less services etc. For example, relatives in Cornwall have told me that some shops, pubs etc are refusing to allow anyone in that can’t prove they live there and I’m sure that’s happening elsewhere so what’s the point? Last year I wasn’t with my adult DD at Christmas. We just celebrated a couple of weeks before, had the full dinner, exchanged gifts etc. It was lovely. 25/12 is ultimately just a date on a calendar. It’s not that specific date that “makes” Christmas.

Yeah one family loaded up ONE of their cars and pissed off. Leaving the other car parked across two spaces for god knows how long.

I think we are going to leave a pass-agg note.

Problem is if Royals can do it then there is no way anyone else should be expected to not follow their example. Heck they even took their kids out for a panto when our kids are stuck indoors the whole of this festive season.

most of them fled on planes in the hours after the announcement. (north London)...

North London, no one seems to have left where I live.

Im in London. Weirdly we’re busier, we actually have new arrivals!

Many arrived mid week as the tier 3 was announced, I think coming from tier 3 areas, hoping to take advantage of a London being in tier 2 and getting out and about.

Chatting to my neighbour who is quite open about it. Said her family won’t be going home until after Christmas. She thinks whole country will be in tier 4 by then and won’t make a difference.

Friends up the road left, gone to stay with elderly mum in the north east. My understanding is mum is alone and wouldn’t have made the journey so this was the plan all long. They’re her support bubble. Did jokingly message to say they’d made it through the blockades but don’t think they’ve actually had a bad reception.

I know at least one family that left london on the evening of the annoucement. They had already planned a holiday in the west country and obviously decided they didn't want to miss it.

@Queenoftheashes I would not leave a passive aggressive note. Let the school the children go to know, on the grounds of health and safety of course.

One lot of neighbours had already gone home (abroad) and I'm hoping they can't get back as they are complete arseholes

None of mine have dashed but they all seem exempt anyway due to the huge amount of bubbles. Single, child under 1, child under 5 with disabilities, mental health, childcare bubbles.

It’s like a normal tier 2 day with more things closed that’s all.

There were so many rumours on Friday that London was going into some kind of Tier 4 - I ould well imagine people being prompt to get gone Saturday morning before anything was announced.

I was in the car half an hour after the announcement. Met my parents in a car park halfway to their house, exchanged gifts and returned home just before the midnight deadline after driving for 6 hours.

Didnt realise I could ignore the rules and just go. My parents live by the sea and would much rather be there for Christmas.